The invention relates to a sheet-metal can for foodstuffs or drink, comprising a body and a bottom fixed thereto or formed integrally therewith, which body has a generally rotation-symmetrical form onto which a pattern of depressions is superimposed. Such a can is known and comprises a pattern extending peripherally with repeating of recesses extending the in longitudinal direction of the can such that a cross-section through the can displays a general wave shape superimposed onto the general circular shape.
Such a can has the drawback that, with the use of foodstuffs or drink under a certain pressure, for instance soft drinks, the internal pressure in the can may rise so high after closing thereof that the depressions are pressed outward by the outward directed pressure. In the best case this could result in these depressions more or less disappearing. In practice however, it is found that outward pressing of the depressions is a stochastic process which does not allow of control. An unchecked outward pressing of the depressions thereby occurs in a random, uncontrolled pattern. The result thereof may be that the can acquires a less attractive appearance, while in the case a tangential component is changed the end surfaces, particularly bottom and cover, of the can are no longer parallel, whereby the stackability of the cans is adversely affected.